OMAGH FAMILIES TO QUIZ SENIOR GARDAI
Omagh families to quiz senior gardai
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
THE Garda detective who has led the enquiry into the Omagh bombing will meet the Omagh families for the first time tomorrow (Friday) in what is hoped will be a frank meeting where questions will be answered.
Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh group hopes that Chief Supt Foley and his colleague Insp. Kevin Carty will respond honestly to many questions they have.
The meeting, to be held in Monaghan, has been arranged through the Department of Foreign Affairs after a formal request was made by the group.
Mr Gallagher said, "We feel that we never have had a proper briefing by the gardai in almost five years. We have met with the PSNI and we feel a progress report by the gardai is long overdue.
He said the meeting will hopefully address the many questions raised by Donegal based Garda Sergeant John White who made countless allegations about the Garda's prior knowledge of the Omagh bomb.
"This Garda has made allegations that the gardai had warnings in advance of the Omagh bomb and we want to know what they have done about it.
Mr Gallagher said, "We see it as part of our responsibility to keep up the pressure on both governments. We are approaching the fifth anniversary and not one person has been charged with murder at Omagh, despite all the assurances we were given by the leaders in the days after the bomb".
Also within the coming week, the group will meet officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin over the allegations made by Garda White.
"When this whole story emerged alleging that the gardai had prior knowledge. The Republic's government was presented with the whole report. They pledged to put three officials working on the case, but we don't believe this has been done yet.
"We will meet with them next Thursday and demand to know what they did about these very serious allegations by this garda."
"We will also be asking questions like why the person responsible for stealing the car which brought the bomb to Omagh was never convicted."
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
THE Garda detective who has led the enquiry into the Omagh bombing will meet the Omagh families for the first time tomorrow (Friday) in what is hoped will be a frank meeting where questions will be answered.
Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh group hopes that Chief Supt Foley and his colleague Insp. Kevin Carty will respond honestly to many questions they have.
The meeting, to be held in Monaghan, has been arranged through the Department of Foreign Affairs after a formal request was made by the group.
Mr Gallagher said, "We feel that we never have had a proper briefing by the gardai in almost five years. We have met with the PSNI and we feel a progress report by the gardai is long overdue.
He said the meeting will hopefully address the many questions raised by Donegal based Garda Sergeant John White who made countless allegations about the Garda's prior knowledge of the Omagh bomb.
"This Garda has made allegations that the gardai had warnings in advance of the Omagh bomb and we want to know what they have done about it.
Mr Gallagher said, "We see it as part of our responsibility to keep up the pressure on both governments. We are approaching the fifth anniversary and not one person has been charged with murder at Omagh, despite all the assurances we were given by the leaders in the days after the bomb".
Also within the coming week, the group will meet officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin over the allegations made by Garda White.
"When this whole story emerged alleging that the gardai had prior knowledge. The Republic's government was presented with the whole report. They pledged to put three officials working on the case, but we don't believe this has been done yet.
"We will meet with them next Thursday and demand to know what they did about these very serious allegations by this garda."
"We will also be asking questions like why the person responsible for stealing the car which brought the bomb to Omagh was never convicted."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1547
Published Date: 15-May-03
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